Teens and 'sexting'

[FrancesMumsnet]

Hello, Harry Wallop from The Telegraph is writing a feature on teens and 'sexting' he wants to find out whether the problem is widespread as reported or if it's being exaggerated. He's interested to know what teens are 'sexting' and why, and what schools and parents are doing/can do about it.

Harry would really like to speak to parents, and he is keen to stress that you can do so anonymously. His email address is [email protected].

Thank you

MNHQ

Seating as been around for a long time, I'm 22 and it was happening when I was at school.

Sexting not seating lol

If that's really his question he might want to reexamine his research strategy...

It will be similar to underage sex, some will, some won't.

It was probably around when mine was a young teen 5 years ago but wasn't prevalent amongst her friends, afaik. If it had been I would have had a chat with her about it.

Yes, I thought it was odd wanting to know what they are sexting.

I'd rather they were "sexting" than actual "sexing" (ie having sex). I think every generation has done it, just that the medium has changed.

I'm 21 now, I started 'sexting' when I was 11, so 10 years ago, but didn't actually become sexually active (sex or otherwise) until I was 16. In my opinion, I agree it's not nice to think that kids that young are doing his, but it was a 'safe' way to explore sexuality. I pretty much learnt everything i know about sex this way. Sex ed teaches you about intercourse, nobody ever told me what a blowjob, or fingering etc was in school! Much better to be doing (essentially, you're just talking bout it) that than entering in to foreplay at that age, which by 13 is what most young people are doing.

However, I'm the first to admit I got myself in to trouble at 14 when I was 'sexting' a friends cousin who turned out to be 22, so I think it's important to know who you are talking to, as I didn't with that guy. Also think that sending pictures needs to be cracked down upon, as lots of girls I know at school had sexual images of them circulated around the boys phones.